Music Artiste, Naira Marley on Friday testified before a Magistrate Court in Ikorodu in the ongoing Coroner’s inquest investigating the death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
Naira Marley, who joined the proceedings virtually told the Coroner, Magistrate Adedayo Shotobi that he signed the late Mohbad on his record label, Marlian Records to produce 4 albums but until the artiste left, the 4 albums were not produced owing to constant disagreements between the late singer and his manager, Opere Babatunde.
He also denied threatening or molesting the late Mohbad pointing to a police report which exonerated him of these offences. He claimed that the allegations that he molested Mohbad existed only in people’s imaginations.
When asked about the viral video, made by the late Mohbad where he stated that Naira Marley and the entire Marlian crew should be held responsible if anything happens to him, the witness testified that Mohbad and his parents subsequently apologised for that video which was made while the artiste was under the influence of drugs.
Marley insisted that there were no disputes or disagreements between him and the late Mohbad. He also denied having a hand in Mohbad’s death claiming that the last time he saw the artiste was a year before his passing and that he was not even in the country at the time Mohbad died.
A second witness, the lawyer to the late Mohbad, Oluwasanmi Falade, faulted Naira Marley for saying there was no dispute between him and the late Mohbad. The lawyer confirmed to the coroner that there was indeed a dispute between Marlian Records and his client over the payment of royalties.
The lawyer said at Mohbad’s insistence, he wrote several times to Marlian Records over the issue but never got any response. He, however, said the issue has since become a subject of litigation before the Federal High Court.
Falade also testified that the late Mohbad was attacked at Lekki Beach by music promoter, Sam Larry and following his advice, the late singer had reported the incident at the Force Headquarters which had unsuccessfully tried to arrest Sam Larry twice.
After listening to the testimonies, Magistrate Shotobi summoned Sam Larry to testify before the Coroners court at the next adjourned date.
The Coroner also directed parties in the inquest to confirm the address of late Mohbad’s driver so witness summons can also be sent to him to appear before the coroner to testify.
The coroner further directed the pathologist who conducted an independent autopsy on the late Mohbad to forward a copy of his findings to the coroners court and same should also be forwarded to the Chief Coroner, before the next adjourned date.
The Coroner adjourned to April 11 to take the testimony of Sam Larry.
Outside the court, counsel to Mohbad’s family, Wahab Shittu (SAN) told journalists that what the testimonies have indicated so far is that there is no clear evidence yet to show whether Naira Marley had a hand directly or indirectly in the death of Mohbad.
The lawyer remains confident that the inquest will show the sequence of events and the circumstances surrounding the death of the late Mohbad. He also said it was necessary to look more closely at all the people who were around the late Mohbad in the hours leading to his death.
Shittu said he has also applied to the Coroner to invite the doctors at the two hospitals the late Mohbad was rushed to, on the day he died so they could testify as to the state of the artiste when they saw him, and witness summons are likely to be issued to them to appear before the coroner when the time comes.
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